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Syllabus

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Zach

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Course Overview:

The Practical Windows Fundamentals course was developed to teach students real-world skills, methodologies, and technologies from the perspective of entry-level IT professionals. In this course we focus on teaching you the practical information and knowledge you will need to be successful in your information technology career on day number one.

Much of the current IT training and Certification Training for entry-level IT professionals often focus on teaching outdated technologies and techniques or provide an information overload on technology specifics that aren’t required for an entry-level IT professional.

If there’s one thing that we hope to accomplish with this course, you will be learning the practical knowledge of an entry-level IT professional as it applies to the real world.

You’ll learn first-hand how IT professionals navigate and troubleshoot the Windows Operating System. We won’t spend time diving deep into explaining technologies or methodologies that aren’t necessary to learn at this stage in your career. Instead, you’ll not only learn what you actually need to know as an IT Professional, you’ll learn how to find all the answers.

After 20+ years of working in this field, it is my duty to assure you, remind you, and reassure you again that you don’t NEED to know everything about technology to work in IT. Everything that you’ll learn about this field that matters will be learned over time as you grow your career.  More important than having all the answers is knowing where to find all of the answers, and that’s what will make you a top-tier IT professional every day.

The Practical Windows Professional course was created as an extension of the Practical Help Desk course currently in development from TCM Security.

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Navigate the Windows Operating System, including file systems, settings, and administrative tools.
2. Understand and manage file and folder permissions, system settings, and user accounts.
3. Utilize built-in troubleshooting tools and command-line utilities.
4. Apply basic networking concepts within the Windows environment.
5. Demonstrate proficiency in security features, backup, recovery, and update processes.
6. Configure and manage virtual machines using standard virtualization software.

Instructional Method: This course combines lectures, interactive discussions, hands-on lab exercises, and real-world scenario assignments.

Materials Needed:

• A computer with internet access and at least 8GB of RAM if you plan on following along (hands-on)
• This is a great video that talks about computer requirements and virtualization. It is geared towards cybersecurity but the fundamental understanding of computer requirements is here: https://youtu.be/PwY_ISUyu3o?si=o4ORT8PmFqtIsfLJ
• Virtualization software (VirtualBox or VMware).
• https://virtualbox.org
• https://www.vmware.com/products/workstation-player/workstation-player-evaluation.html
• Windows 11 ISO file
• https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11

Brief Course Outline:

1. Operating System Navigation: Knowing how to navigate the Windows interface, including the Start menu, taskbar, and system settings.
2. Command Prompt/Powershell: Using command-line interfaces to execute various tasks and scripts.
3. File System: Understanding the structure of the Windows file system (NTFS), file and folder permissions, and how to locate files.
4. Task Manager: Using the Task Manager to monitor system performance, close unresponsive applications, and understand processes.
5. Device Manager: Managing hardware devices, installing drivers, and troubleshooting hardware issues.
6. Control Panel/Settings: Configuring system settings, user accounts, and hardware through the Control Panel and the Settings app.
7. Networking: Understanding network settings, sharing options, and troubleshooting connectivity issues.
8. Remote Assistance Tools: Providing support through remote desktop and assistance applications.
9. Security Features: Knowing about Windows Defender, firewall settings, and user account control.
10. Windows Update: Managing and troubleshooting updates for the OS and drivers.
11. Backup and Recovery: Understanding system restore, recovery options, and backup procedures.
12. Virtualization: Basics of virtual machines in case they need to run or troubleshoot virtual environments.
13. Registry: Basic knowledge of the Windows Registry and how it affects system configuration.
14. Group Policy: For enterprise environments, understanding Group Policy and its impact on user settings and system configuration.
15. Software Installation and Removal: Knowing how to install, update, and remove software applications.
16. Troubleshooting Tools: Familiarity with tools like Event Viewer, Resource Monitor, and troubleshooting wizards.

Assessment and Grading: Currently, there are no assessments or grading for this course.

However, in the future, we will publish iterations of this course, including section quizzes and more on the TCM Security Academy platform: https://academy.tcm-sec.com.

Attendance Policy: This is entirely self-paced. Please take as long as you would like to finish this course, but please be sure to take detailed notes so you can quickly pick up where you left off.

Academic Integrity: Students are expected to uphold general standards of conduct regarding plagiarism and academic dishonesty.

Support and Resources: Students can seek additional help by contacting Zach on the Antisyphon Training Discord server. https://discord.gg/antisyphon

Instructor Information:

• Name: Zach Hill
• Contact: zach@itcareerquestions.com

Additional Notes:

• Students are encouraged to set up a virtual environment early in the course.
• Collaboration is encouraged, but assignments must be completed individually.

Course Evaluation: Students will be asked to complete a course evaluation at the end to provide feedback on the instruction, course materials, and overall learning experience.